Chapter 285 - Witness

So far, Gaven had enlightened over thirty trees, but there was only one Enlightened Treant, Thornspike.The nanmu tree before him was clearly a fine specimen, not only sturdy enough but more importantly, it played a huge role behind the scenes throughout the entire story of Weizemay Manor.

Gaven felt intense energy and powerful fluctuations of consciousness emanating from it, just one step away from enlightenment.

However, unlike Thornspike, the energy fluctuations from this tree were not purely life force; they were mixed with intense negative energy.

Seeing that it was still early, Gaven decided to slightly alter his plan.

He would enlighten this nanmu tree first.

Once it became a Treant, even if something went wrong during the night’s disruption, he would have a new trump card.

Thinking it, Gaven sat down with his back against the nanmu tree and initiated the Enlightenment.

This time, it wasn’t Gaven actively searching for the initial consciousness of the nanmu tree; instead, its initial consciousness actively sought out Gaven.

It spoke to Gaven, seeking his help.

The nanmu tree was also a sufferer of endless revenge.

Every day, it endured the agony of Duke Kolonfer corrupting its branches with the touch of corruption.

It also bore the pain of regeneration because this regeneration was not powered by its own strength but by negative energy drawn from hatred.

Compared to these, the most unbearable thing for it was the endless hatred seeping from under its roots.

Especially the hatred emanating from the smaller body seemed to set the nanmu tree on fire, assimilating it, making it live for hatred as well.

As Enlightenment progressed, the memory of the nanmu tree, like a tide, was shared with Gaven.

It was a witness.

It had seen the gradual shaping of the Three Rivers Region, once dominated by the rampant rivers, not far from where the land was not flat plains but swamps.

It had witnessed Duke Kolonfer selecting this site to build Weizemay Manor, seeing it constructed bit by bit right before its eyes.

Duke Kolonfer’s choice of the manor’s location was pivotal, and he always liked gardening, liked nanmu, and upon discovering it, treasured it like a precious find.

Weizemay Manor is the common name, but translated into Elf speak, it is Ancient Nanmu Manor.

It had seen how the vineyards of Weizemay Manor were built, how those crystal clear grapes turned into Weizemay Crystal Wine.

It had seen Duke Kolonfer’s gradual descent into madness, how he abused his wife and daughter like animals, with even the white horse in the stable living better and more freely than them.

It had seen on that rainy night, a jealous and deranged Duke Kolonfer lifting the crane beak hoe, venting his brutality and hatred without restraint, and then watched as he dragged the pitiable women beside it to bury them at its side.

It had seen how those pitiable women were consumed and manipulated by hatred, unleashing wild revenge on Duke Kolonfer, while darkness began spreading from that day, permeating the manor until it was completely engulfed.

It had seen a tall man with a white-bearded Mage construct a Mist Barrier right here.

It had seen wave after wave of people enter, trying to purify Duke Kolonfer, to purify Estelle and Amanda, the mother and daughter.

Many people took the approach as with ordinary ghosts; upon witnessing the ghostly state of Duke Kolonfer, they would simply attempt regular purification, only to prematurely awaken Estelle and Amanda, who were then also purified.

As a result, those people became the targets of Duke Kolonfer and the Specter mother and daughter’s revenge, growing increasingly powerful.

Those as wise as Darnell, upon realizing something was wrong, no longer tried to enter, thereby saving their lives.

Those who made the wrong judgment, on their last entry, became the food in the mouths of the Specter mother and daughter, even their souls were devoured.

Through the Dark Nanmu, Gaven saw the terrifying combat strength of the Holy Warrior Darnell.

The first few nights, Darnell needed no spells to purify any specters; a simple hammer blow was all it took to cleanse them.

By the sixth night, even Estelle and Amanda developed a psychological shadow towards him and his warhammer, and despite stacking with the Undead Vengeance Revenge BUFF, they were reluctant to battle.

Luckily, they themselves no longer pushed their way in, or else Estelle and Amanda would undoubtedly have been hammered down a few more nights.

When Gaven in the consciousness of the Dark Nanmu saw his own reflection, he knew that Enlightenment was nearing its end.

The giant nanmu tree shakily stood up.

Two twisted tree trunks formed arms, while its uprooted roots twisted into two thick legs, and an aged face appeared on the dark trunk.

The bushy treetop, like an exploded hairstyle, wasn’t much reduced.

This was the standard appearance of a Treant.

The draconic form of Thornspike, on the other hand, was abnormal, uncommon.

As the nanmu uprooted itself, the ground split open, and two ragged bodies—one large and one small, both blue-green—appeared before Gaven.

Then a male corpse, incomplete and emerging bit by bit not far from them as if it grew out of thin air.

Without asking, it was definitely Duke Kolonfer’s. Googlᴇ search ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet

This saved Gaven the trouble; at least he didn’t have to dig up any corpses himself.

"Thank you for your Enlightenment, great one. I ask that you bestow upon me a name," the voice of the Dark Nanmu echoed in Gaven’s mind.

With just these words, he knew he had successfully enlightened a second Treant.

Gaven didn’t respond immediately, but instead brought up the Enlightened Treant’s attribute template, reviewed it thoroughly, and then said, "You were born from darkness, so you shall be called Black Nanmu."

"Thank you for bestowing a name upon me," the Black Nanmu said respectfully.

Life Force: 122 (11D12+55)

Size: Colossal

Attributes: Strength 19, Dexterity 9, Constitution 20, Intelligence 16, Perception 16, Charisma 14

Special Ability: Shapeshift (Special Ability) — When still, this Enlightened Tree looks just like any ordinary tree.

Negative Energy Regeneration (Transcendent Physique Bonus) — Capable of absorbing negative energy to heal its own wounds.

Paralyzing Touch (Special Ability) — Attacks infused with negative energy that can paralyze the target if their Saving Throws fail.

Soul Prison (Special Ability) — Extracts souls from corpses or spirit body entities; if struck, there is a chance they will be imprisoned within its body.

Summon Soul Prison (Special Ability) — Can summon spirit body entities imprisoned within its form to fight, up to a maximum range of one hundred meters.

Root into Shadow (Special Ability) — Can root directly into the Shadow Plane.

As a clump-forming tree, even the Black Nanmu with its exceptional gifts could not compare with Thornspike. After transforming into a Treant, it shed some of the inconvenient aspects of its form and became colossal-sized—the smallest among all the trees enlightened by Gaven.

But looking at the Black Nanmu’s special abilities, its main combat strength doesn’t lie in its size.

It lies in the Soul Prison.

The Black Nanmu is practically the bane of ghosts and other spirit body creatures.

It doesn’t just kill them — it directly enslaves them.

Seeing this, Gaven’s eyes lit up with excitement. Battle Valley had many bona fide Ghost Castles and Haunted Manors. When he had the time, perhaps he could take Black Nanmu there for a sweep.

Not only would this enhance Black Nanmu’s combat powers, but it could also gain ownership of those castles or manors.

It was indeed killing two birds with one stone.

But by doing so, Lord Ilmet would likely no longer be able to keep up and would change the game’s rules — not directly rewarding the person who cleared the Ghost Castles anymore.

Compared to that, the formidable Paralyzing Touch was essentially for defense, but this ability was mainly geared against living creatures and was clearly useless against ghosts.

Gaven shifted his attention from the Black Nanmu to the three corpses that needed dealing with now.

The moment he laid eyes on Duke Kolonfer, Gaven immediately noticed the Evil God Emblem Ring on the duke’s maimed right hand. Even from several steps away, he could distinctly sense the chilling, sinister aura emanating from it like a coiled serpent, coldly fixed on Gaven.

As Gaven’s focus settled on the Evil God Emblem Ring, a gentle female voice rang in his ear, seemingly whispering something.

With the murmuring of this voice, the cold aura of the Evil God Emblem Ring receded like the tide, emitting a strangely warm glow instead and becoming increasingly splendid.

"Aargh!" A dragon’s roar erupted from deep within Gaven’s soul.

The gentle voice vanished without a trace.

In Gaven’s eyes, the Evil God Emblem Ring, which was about to turn into the most beautiful ring in the world, reverted to its original, sinister form on the spot.

Gaven had always been puzzled about the Evil God Emblem Ring’s grotesque appearance—it was apparent that it was nothing good—so why would Duke Kolonfer still wear it?

Turns out this thing was even more sinister than he imagined, possessing Charm abilities.

If he had almost been bewitched, let alone Kolonfer.

Gaven could now be certain that the tragedy of Weizemay Manor was predominantly due to this very ring—the true instigator.

Anyone who solved the puzzle in the end had to face the Charm of the Evil God Emblem Ring. If they couldn’t resist and put it on, no one knew what changes it would bring.

"Remove that ring," Gaven commanded Black Nanmu, giving his first order.

If he hadn’t enlightened it, removing this ring would indeed have been a headache.

"As you wish," Black Nanmu walked over to Duke Kolonfer and roughly tugged the ring from his finger.

Its thick tree hands were not suited for delicate work and did not care whether it would injure Duke Kolonfer or not.

Duke Kolonfer probably wouldn’t mind either. If he were conscious, he would likely even thank the Black Nanmu.

The moment the Evil God Emblem Ring was forcibly removed from Duke Kolonfer’s hand, the entire Weizemay Manor seemed to shudder.

Then three apparitions rose from the corpses on the ground.

No, to be more precise, there were four.

Another one emerged from a simple bag on Gaven’s back—the Coachman Ghost.

"What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?" Duke Kolonfer’s specter looked at his hands in disbelief, muttering to himself.

Freed from the control of the Evil God Emblem Ring, he clearly no more suffered from intermittent amnesia and recalled everything, both from his life and the cycle of Undead Vengeance.

Before Gaven could explain it all to him, Kolonfer was already plunged into endless remorse.

The Coachman Ghost ferociously pounced on Duke Kolonfer, angrily shouting, "You bastard, you actually killed your own wife, your own daughter, you’re worse than a beast, no, you’re not even worthy of being called a beast."

"What right do you have to speak to me? You adulterer, you have the nerve to come back," despite his remorse, Duke Kolonfer was not about to be kind to the coachman, whom he saw as the adulterer.

"I am Estelle’s own brother, you fool, her own brother!" the Coachman roared with fury, "When I came to the manor, Estelle was already several months pregnant. There are letters to prove it."

To back up the Coachman’s claims and shatter Duke Kolonfer’s defenses completely, Gaven flung Estelle’s personal letter at him, not caring whether the specter could catch the letter or not.